The tension between having to update the platform while not leaving the ecosystem behind seems one of the oldest issues IT – does the web browser platform add something fundamentally new to the mix?

My understanding has always been that campus computer labs should run the “enterprise versions” of the Chrome and Firefox web browser, especially if they advertise the non-default web browsers to students on the start menu right next to Internet Explorer (which IT, with the help of the Windows Update tools that allow to shut out forced Internet Explorer’s upgrade, upgrades very conservatively, in order to not break applications).

Reason for installing enterprise versions in the (ahem!) enterprise is that – I believe to know this for Firefox ESR – the enterprise version:

is kept up to date with security patches, but

is feature-stable (as opposed to the consumer version which gets updated every few weeks) which allows our software vendors – textbook websites etc. – to make sure their software works on a mainstream, non-cutting edge version of the web browser. Case in point which would likely cause havoc when trying to use online language textbooks in the LRC over the next term: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/12/10/firefox_26_blocks_java/

Running the enterprise version of the software should also relieve

IT departments of constant updates and testing, and

students using deep-frozen lab computers to – every time they log in on a computer – having to wait for the auto update of the web browser to go through.

E.g. you can see from this Firefox ESR version history graphic, that it has been on version 17 since November 2012, and that version 17, after an overlap of a few weeks, is now (December 3) deprecated, in favor of version 24.

That means: with Firefox ESR, we were spared from having to deal with (test application software compatibility, like online textbooks) the 7 individual upgrades in between. If we upgrade to ESR version 24 now, we will likely for another full year receive security patches, but not have to deal with features that break instructional websites.

Given this, I assume we should upgrade to Firefox ESR (and the Chrome equivalent, if it is one, i.e. works like Firefox ESR) in the LRC image

Below please find our current (work in progress) test matrix. Use one of the combinations that worked (“YES”) to avoid problems when taking or grading webcam assignments (or come to the LRC where we set up a working combination). You can view your version of the Kaltura video player and of Adobe Flash by right-clicking on the Kaltura video window.